Adjustable foot device for ladders



Aug. 25, 1925.

H. F. HUSTED 4 ADJUSTABLE FOQT DEVICE FOR LADDERS Filed April 11, 1925 A TTORNE Y.

IN VEN TOR. I flarryiflzasled I Patented Aug. 25, 1925 v.' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADJUSTABLE room DEVICE FORLADIDERS.

Application filed April 11, 1925. Serial No. 22,363.

. his invention relates clining in a transverse direction from the vertical, thereby maintaining the ladder equalized when the device is mounted on an inclined or irregular shaped supporting surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in 'a manner as hereinafter set forth, an adjustable foot or equalizing de-' vice for a ladder, including means for locking the device in adjusted position to maintain the ladder equalized when the device is mounted on an inclined or irregular shape-d supporting surface.

A further ob ect of the invention is toprovide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a foot or equalizing device for a ladder, including a bodily shiftable carrier capable of being adj usted to equalize the position of the ladder when the carrier is mounted on an inclined or irregular shaped supporting surface, I

Further ob ects of tlXGYIIIVBIitlOII arewto provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an equalizing device for" ladders, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, conveniently installed with respect to theilower end of a ladder, thoroughly eflicient'in its use, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists-of the novel construct-ion, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is tobe understood. that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

' In the drawings wherein like reference parts characters denote corresponding throughout the several views:-.

' Figure 1. is a fragmentary view, in front elevation,'.of thelower portion of a ladder showing the adaptation therewith of an adustable foot or equalizing device, in accordance with thisinvention, and with the de vice illustrated in sectional elevation;

in side Figure'Zis a fragmentary View, elevation, of the device,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the connecting members and further illustrating a portion of the coupling member which gether. Figure 5 is a fragmentary V1eW, l11 perspective,illustrating one of the equalizing 'members.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an equalizing member guide. I

Figure 7 is a sectional detailillustrating the locking member. I

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 denotes the lower round and 2, 3 the side bars of a ladder, and'connected to, arranged between and projecting from the lower ends of said side bars is an adjustable foot or equalizing device, in accordance with this invention.

The foot or equalizing device comprises a pair of ladder connecting members, as indicated at 4, 5 and each of which is in the form'ofan angle iron consisting of an outer leg 6 and an inner leg 7. The leg 6 is provided with a series of openings 8, and the leg 7 witha pair of superposed rows" of openings 9,10. Each row of openings is arranged betweenthe transverse center and an end of the leg 7 and consists of a pair of outer and an intermediate opening. The leg 6 of each of the connecting members is po sitioned against the front of a side bar of a ladder at the lower portion thereof, and said leg is fixedly secured to the side bar by a series of hold-fast devices 11. The leg 7 of each of the connecting members is positionedin parallelism to the inner side of a side bar and further in close proximity thereto, as shown in Figure 3.

The member 4 is coupled to the member 5 by a bow or arch-shaped couplingineinber 12 formed from a. strap of spring metal and one end terminal of'the member 12 is positioned against the' outer face of the leg 7 of the member 4:, and the other end term n l 0 t e mem i Positioned couples the connecting members to-' the member12, or in other \YOl'ClS,

against the outer face 01": the leg 7 of the member 5. The end terminal portions of the coupling member 12 extend at the longitudinal center 01" the leg 7 of said members 4: and 5, and each end terminal of the member 12 is fixedly secured to a leg 7 by holdtast devices 13, which extend through said member 12 and also through the intermediate openings of the rows of openings 9 and 10. The coupling member 12 has its end edges flush with the lower edges of the legs 7 or the connecting member.

Secured to the leg? of each of the connecting members is a vertically disposed channel-shaped guide 1 of less height than the height of the le and said guide 1%; is positioned against the leg 7 so that its bottom edge Will be flush with the bottom edge of the leg and its top edge positioned at a point below-the top edge of the leg. The guide 14 is provided throughout with a pair of oppositely extending laterally disposed flanges 15, 16, each provided with opening 17 for the passage of the hold-fast devices 18 to secure the guide 14 to a leg 7. The hold-fast devices 18 extend through the outer openings of the said pairs of openings 9 and 19. l Vhen the-connecting members 4, are secured to the side bars of the ladder, the heads of the hold-fast devices abut against the inner sides of the side bars 2, 3. l-Vhen the guides ll are secured in position the opposed inner side faces thereof abut against the side edges of the terminal portions of the guides 14s enclose the end terminal portions of the coupling member 12.

Slidably mounted in each guide 1% is an equalizing. member and which consists of a bar 19 of greater length than and conforming in contour to the shape of the guide 14 in which it operates. Secured to the lower end of the bar 19 is an arcuate foot piece 20, provided with an 'upstandhig flange 21. The lOWGI end of the bar 19. seats on the upper face of the foot piece 20, and

the. flange abuts against one of the side.

faces of the bar 19 and issecured to the bar by the holdd ast device 22. The flange 21. is quadrangular in contour and the length of the toot piece 20 is SllClllfiS to project trom the trout, rear and outer side of the bar 19. The flange 21 is positioned against the inner side of the bar 19 and the latter permanently projects below a connecting member. and a guide 14.

The equalizing members are coupled together through the medium of a bow or arclrshaped coupling member 23, formed from a strap of spring metal, and said, member extends into each of the guides l t and rides against the fixed terminal portions of the coupling member 12. The end terminal portions of the coupling member 23 are indicated at 24% and each is positioned against coupling member. 23.

theouter sideof a bar 19, as Well as being secured to the bar by the countersunk holdfast devices 25. The end terminal portions 24' of the coupling member 23 are so positioned and. secured to the bars 19 that the said bars 19 will project a substantial distance below the termini of the coupling member 23.

The coupling member 23 has a normal tendency to expand and Which provides for frictional engagement between theend terminal portions 2a and the end terminal portions of the coupling member 12 and further thenormal tendency of the member 23 is to provide for it frictionally engaging With the coupling member 12 throughout.

Secured by the holdfast device 26 to the coupling member 12, at its transverse cen-.

ter, Well as depending from the. latter, is a yoke 2?,Wl1l0h is disposed transversely with respect to the coupling member 12 and has its closed end. projecting rearvvardly therefrom. The Width of the yoke 27 is greater than the combined thickness of the coupling members. 12. and 23, and the lower arm 28 of the yoke 27 is positioned below and extends transversely With respect to the Carried by the arm 28 is a binding screw 29, Which is employed tor the purpose of locking the members 12 and 23 together so as to prevent the shifting of the member 23 relative to the member 12. The member 23 is locked to the member 12 after, the equalizing members have been adjusted.

For the purpose of. equalizing the position of the' ladder, when the adjustable foot or equalizing device is mounted on. an inclined or irregular shaped supporting surface, the member 23 is released and one of the equalizing members vertically adjusted within its guide so as to position the. ladder in a vertical position, orrather to. position the ladder so that. it will not incline in. transverse direction from the vertical, and after the equalizing member has been vertically adjusted the coupling member 23 is locked to the member. 12 and under such conditions the ladder is maintained in the position to Which it'has been set.

It is thought that the many advantages of a foot or equalizing device for ladders,

in accordance with this invention, can be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be un derstood that changes in the details of construction can be had Which will fall Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

hat I claim is An equalizing device for ladders comprising a pair of angle-shaped connecting memberseach adapted to have one leg there of secured to a side bar of a ladder, an archshaped resilient coupling member having its ends secured tothe other legs of said con necting members, a guide secured to the last mentioned'leg of each of said connecting members, an equalizing member slidably mounted in each of said guides'and permanently depending therefrom, and an archshaped resilient coupling element connected to said equalizing members, extending upwardly from said guides and bearing against said coupling member. 1

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

HARRY F. HUSTED. 

